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Personal Care Homes, also called Assisted Living Facilities, are residential homes or apartments for senior citizens or individuals with intellectual disabilities, cognitive disabilites or “mental retardation”. These Personal Care Homes are designed to provide shelter, 3 nutritious meals a day, laundry services, hygiene assistance, ADL’s, and transportation. Some offer activities like arts and crafts, exercise, church services, outdoor trips, movie night, etc.

Personal Care Homes are often recommended to Senior Citizens by their children, physicians, family members, social workers, hospital discharge planners, or themselves. Most seniors who are having difficulty staying home alone are ideal candidates for this program. Some find that they are falling more and becoming a danger to themselves. Others might find that they are forgetful, confused or disoriented at times. Still others desire the social interaction with their peers in a safe, clean, and loving environment.

Nowadays, adult children are unable to care for their aging parents due to their own busy schedules, lack of financial resources, or due to the long distance that separates them from their parents. Personal Care Homes offer a great alternative to living without their own family. In some states like Georgia, a Personal Care Home can have as few as 6 residents in the home which offer much more one on one interaction and care. Most of the residents have their own room in which they can bring personal touches from home such as pictures for the wall, curtains, bed linens, toiletries, and some small furniture.

Residential services to those with “mental retardation” or more appropriately, “developmental disabilities or intellectual disabilities” are a great option for those adults, ages 19 and over, who desire to live alone or whose family is ready for them to make a transition to more independence. Although, living in a Personal Care Home is not living alone, it offers support and guidance to those who have always lived with a family member or in an institution for many years. It is extremely important that the staff at the Personal Care Home are especially sensitive to this population who have often experienced abuse, neglect and institutionalized living for most of their life. The transition period may take longer than it would for a Senior Citizen, so great care and patience must be a priority and no tolerance for neglectful, harsh or abusive language or actions should be accepted by the Personal Care Home management.

Individuals with intellectual disabilities often attend programs during the day time hours to learn new skills and often have jobs with real employers providing real pay. These jobs may be menial or tedious for some, but for this population bagging groceries, stuffing envelopes, gathering shopping carts, putting small plastic pieces together in a factory are rewarding and stimulating jobs to have.

Of course, like everything else, there is a financial cost associated with Personal Care Homes. Most seniors use their pensions, retirement or social security income to pay the cost for this service. The fees for Senior Citizens range greatly from Personal Care Home to Personal Care Home. In Georgia, for instance, a small PCH of 6 residents may charge anywhere from $1,300 per month to $2,000 per month. The price is sometimes determined by the location of the home, the size of the room (private or semi-private) and the services offered. Some PCH owners make special concessions to those who cannot pay the full price. Others use State programs like Medicaid funded programs that can supplement the cost if the Senior meets their eligibility requirements. The owner of the PCH will need to apply with the Medicaid program (SOURCE or CCSP etc) in order to be a Provider for this service. Usually each state will have a Department of Human Resources, Department of Community Health or Department of Behavior and Developmental Disabilities) or something similar that can provide information on how to become a medicaid provider for residential services for the elder population.

Often, the individual with a developmental disability already has a Medicaid Waiver which grants them a certain amount of funding toward residential services. It is the waiver that allows payment to the Personal Care Home provider. This population often has a Support Coordinator or a Case Manager who helps them to make life choices and help apply for Medicaid Waivers and other programs suitable for their individual needs. They even help the individual choose which PCH they want to reside in. Again, the PCH owner has to apply with the State in order to become a Medicaid Provider for this population and to receive payment for the services. The applicant must be qualified to become a medicated provider or he or she will have to hire qualified professionals to help with this endeavor.

Of course, the state is the first place to contact when you are ready to explore opening a PCH. This work is not easy, it requires a 24 hour commitment and loving care for those that live there. It is constant cooking, cleaning, bathing, laundry and loving interaction. It’s also helping with doctor appointments, medication compliance and coordination of services.

The State will send out a booklet providing the guidelines and rules on Personal Care Homes. In Georgia, it is the Health Care Regulatory services who will send out all the information you need to get started or you may have to go to their website for an application. Use these guidelines to write your own home’s Policy and Procedures. Create the standard that you want in your home.

My advice is to write the Policy and Procedures before getting a home. This allows time to write without feeling pressured. If you get a house first, you will have to pay on a mortgage or rent while you are putting your Policies together. Also, start purchasing the furniture before you get a house. If you begin to accumulate what you need now, just store it until you are ready to move in. Many owners purchase their furniture from second-hand stores, garage sales or even from friends. Have church members, family members, coworkers and friends donate furniture to you. Be sure to tell them what you need or you’ll end up with lot of stuff you don’t need.

Some PCH owners purchase their homes for this business, while other do a lease-purchase which allows them to pay as they go. Others find success in renting a house as long as the owner is aware of what you will be using the house for and signing an affidavit that supports the agreement. Still some use the home they live in as both a PCH and their family home.

This information is just enough to get the ideas flowing. Please respond to this blog, offer insight, corrections, updates and other information that one can use in starting a Personal Care Home. Your comments are most appreciated.

I will share more information as we go along. Let me know what topics you are most interested in.

I’m interested in starting, i just need to know where to begin. I would like to get started now, please help. I want to get it up and running. is there an application that has to be filled out and any training programs i can attend, please respond back asap. thank you.

A lot of questions were received about where to start. The first thing is to call your State Office of Human Resources or Regulatory Office. Request a Personal Care Home Policy and Procedure Pamphlet or website. Read it thoroughly to see if you can meet the basic requirements. Contact your Local zoning office to see where a Personal Care Home is allowed. Buy a zoning map from them or get the web address for the approved zones. These are your first two steps. Some cities having a Special Use permit that has to be applied for before approval. There may be a hearing with the neighborhood and the city council for final approval. Once you’ve gone through these processes, you can start looking for a house to rent, lease or buy. Your state may offer classes and workshops to new Personal Care Home owners. It is very helpful to attend even if you haven’t done the above steps yet.
goldjones

To whom it may concern: Hi, I’m interested in opening my own personal care home but don’t know where to begin. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Would you please provide me with the resources on how to get started?

Yes, Allawishes, you are correct. There are other options that include hiring a consultant to help with getting started. Warning, these services can be very costly and often take a lot of your start up money. If you have the financial resources to choose this option, then go for it. But I would use a company or individual that comes highly recommended and one who has done several in your local area to ensure that they are aware of the local zoning/ordinances and state laws governing this program. Please get at least 5 references and interview them about their experiences. Below are questions you should ask the consultant:
1. How long have you been in this line of work?
2. How many Personal Care Homes have you set up previously
3. How long does the overall process take from beginning to end?
4. What does your charges include?
5. Please provide me with 5 references within the last 3 years.

Here are questions for the references:
1. How did the consultant help get your PCH started?
2. How long did it take from beginning to end?
3. Did the PCH get approved the first time or did something have to be re-submitted?
4. Did the application have to be returned for any reason?
5. Were you satisfied with the overall experience?
6. Would you highly recommend this consultant/company?
7. Is your PCH open and operating at this time?
8. Did the consultant follow through with all promises or committments?

Cassandra,
What specific information would you like about Conditional and Special Use Permits? Some cities/counties require that an application is put in for the above permits. This entails going to your zoning office, obtaining an application, submitting a fee and waiting for approval. It means that typically the property that you chose for the PCH location has not been zoned for Personal Care Home usage. The city or county will give you a permit under certain “conditions” or for certain “Special Use”. In some cities this process involve going in front of the local city Council to plea your case and show that your PCH will be beneficial to the community. Sometimes its required that you go to the Neighborhood planning committees to explain what your plans are. Sometimes this process can take up to three months. The key here is to call your local zoning board BEFORE looking for a PCH. It could possibly save you a lot of time. Also, some smaller cities/counties don’t require this or if they do the process can take only days compared to months in a larger city.

What is the phone number for Personal Home care certification for New York State? I am interested in starting up a rest home here in rural New York-near Albany. I have a home with two bedrooms downstairs, ample kitchen and bathrooms with handicapped access and near hospitals.

Hi I am having problem locating a home in the stockbridge area of Georgia to open my PCH. The zoning office in this area is requiring a lot of paper work. Can you please help me with some locations in Georgia that do not make things so hard that I can get my business running right away?
Thanks
Zoe Martin

Hello I am trying to open up a PCH in Florida around the rural areas of port saint lucie area. I was needing some help with getting started and can i apply for some grants to help me along the process and how long does it normally take to get everything done give or take..hope to hear from you soon

Hello. This is all new to me, but I am generating this interest out of necessity. I am having to provide care facilites for my Mother and my Father-In-Law. Any advice and direction will be very helpful. Have any of you above actually completed the process? I would ideally not work at the facility myself, but actually have astaff….my thoughs, though, is that a 6-patient facility would not adequately cover the necessary expenses. I am not worried about profit, as much as the need for a quality place for my parent(s). Any thoughts from others who do not themselves work at the location? Is this even a viable option for me, in your opiniont? THANKS for any comments and advice.

In Georgia , you can go to the Georgia Department of Resources website or the Office of Regulatory Services Website and locate the section on Personal Care Homes. You can also request a booklet to be mailed to you outlining everything you need to do.

MY MOTHER AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OPENING AN PERSONAL CARE HOME.. I AM CURRENTLY IN COLLEGE TAKING HOME HEALTH CARE ADM. SO I WOULD LOVE TO GET AS MUCH AS I NEED. WILLING TO LISTEN AND LEARN , THANKS BIRDIA & RENATA HALL ( MISSISSIPPI )

im interested in starting a phc of my own maybe we need more information besides the information you mention above. I also have a question in mind do i need to be a nurse or have knowledge in medical field to start a phc ? Do i need to be an administrator to start a phc? I hope you could help me with my question .

Geraldine,
The above information is just to get you started in the right direction. Every city and state has varying rules and regulations. I don’t know the rules for every single State, just some of the overall guidelines. In Georgia, you do not need to be a RN, CNA or in the medical field at all. You need to have the desire , compassion and the ability to take care of other peoples needs and respect their rights. Once you complete your application you can identify yourself as the Admininstrator, Director or CEO. Remember it’s your business and it is A business. A lot of people don’t realize that but you will be a business owner. Your best bet is to order a booklet from your state government on Personal Care Homes. It could be the Department of Human Resources, Dept of Human Services, etc.

hi.. i hope its not to late to ask some questions ,as i`m about to embark on starting my own PCH… first question is about writing policy and procedures…. is there a book that u could recommend that would be helpful to me in putting together my P&P??…second i do live in the state of Georgia and i`m very interested in learn more about how to participate in medicard funded programs. As the residends that i plan to take in are developmental disabilities…. last… once i become a provider for this population how do i go about connecting with case managers to recive this kind of patient….

i found this web by accident and believe me the answers from allawishes and goldjones were very helpfull. for months i have been writing the policy and disaster preparedness in order to submit my PCH application. this is not easy. i ccannot afford to pay a consultant. Do you know any resource i can use to show me a format sample of a PCH policy.
also allawishes i would like to know the company you use that would help a lot. thanks

Oh, no problems I enjoy this! When I worked to open my own PCH a few years back noone was there to help me. Or I should say, it took a lot of closed doors and slammed phones before I found one or two people who gave me nuggets to start this business. I was dejected by so many in this business that I was discouraged but my own inner perservence kept me moving forward. I don’t want you all to feel that there is no place for help and discussions about this business. I think this is a wonderful platform to allow people all over to converse, ask questions and hear what others have to say before opening up a Personal Care Home.

Hello Goldjones, I know it has been awhile since we last spoke. I have alot of individuals interested in starting a personal care home in Alabama, but I have not had the time to really concentrate on it. Let’s try and get together early next year. I am planning on going on vacation until around Mid January. Have a happy thanksgiving.

For a regular Personal Care Home, the Operational Policy & Procedure Manual is an explanation of each State Rule and how YOU implement that rule in your facility.

Each State has their own set of rules. Georgia has 32 rules (new rules effective Feb 2008). Most of these rules have one major topic but might include several sub-topics or issues. Read each rule very carefully and develop your policies and procedures for every subject or issue under every rule. When finished, ask the State Surveyor to advise you. In Georgia, you need an Operational Policy and Procedure Manual AND a Fire and Disaster Plan Manual.

If you have a Medicaid supplemented home, there is a whole set of rules for THIS program. Most of the rules are similar to the regular PCH Rules, but some are different. You will need a separate P&P Manual for the Medicaid rules. The Fire and Disaster Plan Manual is generally the same.

Goldjones has done a great job trying to explain the processes involved in setting up a PCH…and has written the web address above for anyone to contact regarding assistance with setting up a PCH in Georgia. You can contact these folks to buy manuals from them or to hire them to get your facility up and running. It is not an easy process. You would be well advised to contact that web address and pay their reasonable fees.

I have purchased a multi-family building in Newburgh, New york and am interested in opening a PCH. There appears to be a great need fr this service in that community. Any input would be greatly appreciated/

I just opened a personal care home in pa. I was interested in marketing ideas. I have visited case managers in local hospitals, had an open house, and did an ad in yellow pages. We have have two residents. One we had to turn down because they needed more care than we could provide. Also a temp. Resident coming next week. They are the only ones who have looked at us and they all loved it. I need to create more traffic. We also signed up with ” a place for mom”. To all those people out there thinking about starting a home. It will be one of the hardest but most rewarding things you’ll ever do!
Thanks

you are so right margaret it is rewarding but challenging none the less. your marketing strategy sounds good. i’ve used ‘a place for mom’ and after a month, the referrals started pouring in. because they service so many personal care homes, if you get an e-mail referral you better contact the representative ASAP! trust me they won’t be available for long so snatch them up when you get them. you may want to contact nursing homes, mental health hospital/facilities, adult day programs, home health agencies with your flyers and information.
by the way, i have a relative who is looking for a pch in Philly, are you near there. she’s not willing to move to Georgia where i am. let me know.
author of blog

Thanks Margaret for the encouragement. I just opened a PCH in GA and I’ve yet to get a client. Been open a month now. I’ve reached out to nursing homes, hospitals, and home health agencies. I’m also registered with a place for mom. I get 1 to 2 referrals a week from A place for mom. How long did it take you to get your first client?

Guess I’m doing all the right stuff. I’ve been in touch with all those people. Many of them attended our open house or we visited them bringing chocolates, flyers and pics of pch. Do you know of any other agencies like ” a place for mom”? We signed up with them about a month ago and they made one referral. The family picked us but after pre admission screening we reffered to a secure facility.
We are located in the rurral subburbs outside of Pittsburgh.
Thanks

I am interested in opening a a personal care home. I need all the information so I can begin. I also need the information to register withn the state of Georgia. The office of Regulatory SErvices number or information to begin.

First find out if the home is in the city or county limits by calling the planning and zoning department. that should be your very first step. Then get a personal care home application from the state at http://www.dch.georgia.gov

Thank you for the Information Starting a Personal Care Home I loved it.
With all the good Info I was wondering, Im currently living in PA, while working in Queens New York, as a home health aide for an agency. My question is I would like to know how to go on my own as a caregiver. I have 8 other certified worker will to join me in working as a team of caregiver. And could you tell me alittle more about getting paid through CASA.

I have my perleminary Lic. How should the office be set up to meet the Regulatary GUIDELINES. how much space, file rooms office, storgae. talking strickly administrative.. i work out of my home. Do I need office space?

this information is great, however I have attempted on several occassions to notify the office of regulatory services and unable to reach anybody. any suggestions? Also is it true that there is a freeze on starting pch in georgia for the year 2010

The Policies that I sell are for Georgia but most surrounding states are requiring similar policies and procedures. As a consultant, I can ensure that you get all the required policies and procedures to meet Georgia’s standands.

first let me say that the info ive found on this forum has been invaluable…..sense my last posting ive found a home thats suitable for what im trying to do in dekalb Co GA ……. with that said….. im looking for assistants in putting together my policies and procedures manual for DHR…. as well as possibly a brochure that i can leave case manager and or social workers that i will see …… any assistant u could give me in pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciate

Thank you and I’m glad the posts and this forum has been helpful to you and so many. In just a few short weeks there will be a way to purchase policies for your personal care home. Please stay tuned as I will have a way for your to pay using a pay pal account for policies that so many of you have requested.
author

I’m looking to start a PCH as well. I live in Norcross but will probably be starting one in Atlanta/Decatur. Anyone have any suggestions about how to start one without using a costly consultant? I don’t have a lot of start up costs but will have a 4 bedroom home soon to start one.

LOOKING TO START A PCH IN GWINNETT COUNTY, GA WHAT IS THE WEBSITE THAT CAN WALK ME THRU STEP BY STEP. IM A STNA WITH 14 YEARS OF EXP. ALREADY HAVE 3 RN 4 CNA READY TO WORK. ALSO WOULD LIKE TO START MY OWN NURSING AGENCY ASAP

Thank you for your question. The first thing you should do is to contact the state for a Personal Care Home application. Then after you’ve read all of the guidelines, contact the county or city that you plan to open a PCH in and ask for the planning and zoning dept. Find out if the house is zoned in the correct area for a PCH (Please refer back to my inital blog as it outlines this subject). Then, in some counties and cities a business license is required. The state of Ga requires that you get a water, fire, and electrical inspection. The fire and electrical inspection are the only inspections in which you will incur an expense. Usually the water/sewage inspection is free or about 50 dollars at most. My advice is not to purchase a house until you find out about proper zoning of the property for a PCH. Of course you must write policies and procedures in order to get your license from the State of Ga such as Disaster Preparedness, Discharge, Refund policies etc. See my blogs Starting a Personal Care Home and More on Personal Care Homes. Hope this was helpful.

More specifically, in Georgia in order to get an application go to:
*http://dch.georgia.gov
*On the left side of page select the ‘Healthcare Facility Regulation’ box
*Then click on ‘Forms and Applications’ on the left side
*See ‘Application Packets’ and scroll down to Personal Care Home application packet and click.
*For trainings click the work ‘trainings’

Is there any way you can email the name of the company that helped you through the process. I have a house but not sure if it will pass inspection. I also can get furniture from a friend that has a store of used things. Also how much was the fee that they charged. Please email this information to me.

There are a lot of different people that can help you. You might want to ask a few PCH owners how they got started and who helped them. If you are in Georgia, I can help you. Just e-mail me at pchpolicies@gmail.com

I would suggest that maybe you start by calling 1-800-MEDICARE for assistance of go to their website to learn how to become Medicare certified. Remember that medicare does not reimburse or fund Personal Care Homes in GA. They do, however, assist with Hospice, Home Health, and long term care facililites or skilled nursing center ( Nursing Homes and Rehab facilities)

sorry Ms Goldjones i mean to say medicaid not medcare ……its my understanding that medicaid does reimburse for mentally challenge patient is this true????…… if so….. is it harder to become medicaid certified ??? and how do i go about this …..thks for ur time

Gold Jones, I want to thank you for all your info that you have provided. I actually work in CLA currently and love what I do. I have talked it over with my wife and I also want to have my own CLA and she is behind me a 100%
. I work mainly with the mentally disabled individuals and have found my true calling in the field.
But a couple questions..
1) As far as the billing is concern, any info on the process of billing, achieving a provider number and etc.. in GA
2) Can a HUD foreclosed home be used for a CLA in GA
3) Are there grants from the Government that can acquired to assist in repair or to secure a mortgage for a CLA based business home that hires individuals from that very community thus providing jobs, living accomodations and care for societies must needy as, and thus adding value to a neighborhood.
4) What is the fatest you have ever seen someone go from step one to the end process

By the way, I appreciate all that you do for us here. I am just getting started on my policies and procedures (also located in GA) and when I finish and all is done..I would love to take you out to a dinner with my family to show our appreciation..
Ken

Thank you Ken,
Below I’ve tried to answer your questions to the best of my ability below. Please always do further research on your own.
1.In order to become a CLA, the Regional Office must approve you. For some, they have had to become a PCH first, and then once the Region recognizes you as a viable provider to those with Developmental Disabilities, they may approve you as a CLA if you meet their requirement. I would suggest that if you want to open a CLA ( Community Living Arrangement) is to go the DBHDD.georgia.gov website and go to the section that says ‘Provider Recruitment and Application to Become a Provider of Developmental Disabilities’ and click on that link and there you will learn about the application process. You should also read the ‘FY 2011 Provider Manual’ which spells out all to the details of a CLA and a CRA ( Community Residential Alternative). Remember that to provide residential services to the DD population in Ga you must become a medicaid provider.
2. Any home can be used as a CLA in Georgia as long it meets the general guidelines and it passes the Site Inspection that you will get during the last phases of your application to become a provider of CRA services in a CLA.
3. There is something called Grant In Aid but I’m not fully aware of the criteria and application process for that funding.
4. The fastest I’ve seen someone go from start to finish was one year. However, the state of GA changed their application and approval process this past July 2010. After reveiwing the process, its much more challenging now, so I don’t know how long it takes since the new rules were put inot effect.

You might want to offer what they don’t offer like: if they are large , you can offer a smaller intimate setting; if they do not offer transportation to doctor office visits, you should; If they do not do activities, you can offer some; If there prices are high, you can offer lower prices, etc.

Please read all of my pages on the blog and it will give you a lot of information on how to get started. There’s a lot of information that can help you. Check out the archives starting from my first post and work your way to the current. Read comments from others and my comments as well. After that you will be able to decide when and how to start this business!

Thank you so much for sharing this info. It was very resourceful and informative. I’m really considering opening a PCH in Ga. My two adopted children have autism and I often think about them. One day transitioning into independent living. I pray that if I’m not alive or able to care for them. That they find a well maintenanced and loving PCH if it ever comes to this. Once again thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Hi my name is Mr. Gregory jones, I am interested in started my own Home care Business in Macon GA.,I am a student at Miller-Motte Technical College located in Macon, GA. I don’t know how to start one. I don’t know what’s needed first. As of today, I don’t even have a house to run my Home Care Business out of. My income as of now is SSI and I don’t want to live on a fix income and I want to be able to provide for my family better. Can you please help me find the answer that I’m in need of please. Thank you very much.

the first thing is to go to the Department of Community Health website in Georgia. Then find the Healthcare Facility Regulations link on the left column. Once there click on application and there you will find information on Personal Care homes. Starting with your own home is a good idea. It saves you tons of money as you apply for your PCH license.

i would like to say that i hope all is well. I am venturing out with starting a PCH but i have been doing a lot of research, i own my home but it’s things that i need to have done(updates) to the house before i actually submit my papers. But what i would like to know before i actually open the door is their grants out their that can help with beds,tables, recliners, lamps, and etc…any information, & resources would be greatly appreciate.

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The information contained herein is provided to offer information and guidelines for residential programs with the understanding that we make no warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information. Nor do we warrant that the use of this information is free of any claims of copyright infringement. These policies and procedures in no way guarantee that they meet the needs of any State or local licensing board, accreditation or credentialing standards.